Microsoft quietly set up a new Age of Empires studio earlier this year, news that emerged around the same time it was announced that Microsoft had acquired Double Fine. According to PC Games Insider, however, that studio aims to oversee the development of Age of Empires games at other studios rather than create new games in the franchise itself.
“Our role at Microsoft is to enable these great developers to make Age products and to be the overseers and the ones making sure that we’re on-message and on-brand for delivering what we believe to be great Age of Empires experiences,” Microsoft creative director Adam Isgreen tells the publication.
Isgreen notes that the studio does have an internal development team, but the goal of the operation is more focused on “providing oversight to our wonderful department partners” like Forgotten Empires and Tantalus Media.
Helmed by former Xbox Game Studios GM Shannon Loftis, the studio itself was set up by Microsoft back in June to “ensure [Age of Empires’] legacy on PC continues in service of the passionate community of faithful fans.”